It’s been close to two years since Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler and China’s BYD formed a new 50-50 joint venture under the name BDNT (BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd) for the development and production of affordable electric vehicles for the Chinese market.
Today, the two companies came out with an official announcement saying that their China market brand will be named Denza and that we’ll see the first concept car at the Auto China Show 2012 in Beijing this April, with first production planned in 2013.
Although little is known about the Denza brand’s first automobile, BYD’s president, Wang Chuanfu revealed that the Chinese company was mostly responsible for the e-drive systems and batteries.
“We have the ideal partner in Daimler. BYD provides experience in battery technology and e-drive systems, as well as bringing EVs into operation on the streets of China,” said Chuanfu .
“In connection with Daimler’s design of premium autos, know-how in electric vehicle architecture and safety, and more than 125 years of experience in automotive excellence, DENZA is on the right track to become the leader in the New Energy Vehicle market in China,” he added.
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